ArticleBMJ public health2026
Societal costs for the closest family relatives of patients with brain disorders in Denmark: a population-based cohort study.
Article in BMJ public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Introduction: Brain disorders, including neurological conditions and mental disorders, pose a considerable economic burden in Denmark. However, the costs of illness are not limited to the patients themselves, as the consequences of living with a brain disorder may also impact close relatives.We aimed to describe any societal costs related to healthcare utilisation and income loss for the closest family relatives of patients with brain disorders. Methods: This population-based cohort study included the closest family relatives (proxies for caregivers) of patients with prevalent (by 1 January 2021) or incident (during 2016-2021) brain disorders, using registry data. They were compared with corresponding relatives of matched population comparisons. Patients were categorised into three age strata: children and young people (0-24 years), adults (25-64 years) and older adults (65+years). We specified criteria for identifying the closest family relative for each age stratum. Using data from national registries, we estimated attributable healthcare costs and, for working-age relatives (18-65 years), income loss. Results: In 2021, close relatives of patients with brain disorders included 125 495 fathers and 96 154 mothers of children and young people, 880 661 relatives of adults and 378 826 relatives of older adults. The pooled attributable costs of brain disorders incurred by closest family relatives were €2407 million for prevalent disease in 2021 and €794 million for incident disease the first year following incidence. The dominating cost component was income loss for working-age relatives. Conclusions: The higher healthcare costs and especially the lower income for relatives of patients with brain disorders could be associated with the societal economic burden of brain disorders in Denmark. Informal care provided by relatives should be considered in discussions of healthcare prioritisation.
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